An Art
FOR THE UNIFORMITY OF COMMON PRAYER, AND SERVICE IN THB
CHURCH, AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS.
PRIMO ELIZABETHE.
WH THERE at the death of our late Sovereign Lord King Edward the Sixth, there remained one uniform Order of Common Service and Prayer, and of the Administration of Sacraments, Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, which was set forth in one Book, intituled, The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England, Authorized by Act of Parliament, holden in the fifth and sixth years of our said late Sovereign Lord King Edward the Sixth, intituled, An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments; The which was repealed, and taken away by Act of Parliament, in the first Year of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lady Queen Mary, to the great decay of the due honour of God, and discomfort to the Professors of the Truth of Christ's Religion:
Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament, That the said Statute of Repeal, and every thing therein contained, only concerning the said Book, and the Service, Administration of Sacraments, Rites and Ceremonies, contained or appointed in or by the said Book, shall be void and of none effect, from and after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming: and that the said Book with the Order of Service, and of the Administration of Sacraments, Rites and Ceremonies, with the Alterations, and Additions therein added and appointed by this Statute, shall stand, and be from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist, in full force and effect, according to the tenor and effect of this Statute: Any thing in the foresaid Statute of Repeal to the contrary notwithstanding.
And further be it Enacted by the Queen's Highness, with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That all and singular Ministers in any Cathedral, or Parish Church,
or other place within this Realm of England, Wales, and the Marches of the same, or other the Queen's Dominions, shall from and after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming, be bounden to say and use the Mattins, Evensong, Celebration of the Lord's Supper, and Administration of each of the Sacraments, and all their common and open Prayer, in such order and form as is mentioned in the said Book, so Authorized by Parliament in the said fifth and sixth Years of the Reign of King Edward the Sixth: with one alteration, or addition of certain Lessons to be used on every Sunday in the Year, and the Form of the Litany altered and corrected, and two Sentences only added in the delivery of the Sacrament to the Communicants, and none other, or otherwise And that if any manner of Parson, Vicar, or other whatsoever Minister, that ought or should sing or say Common Prayer mentioned in the said Book, or minister the Sacraments, from and after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming, refuse to use the said Common Prayer, or to minister the Sacraments in such Cathedral or Parish- Church, or other places, as he should use to minister the same, in such order and form, as they be mentioned, and set forth in the said Book; or shall wilfully, or obstinately standing in the same, use any other Rite, Ceremony, Order, Form, or Manner of celebrating of the Lord's Supper, openly or privily, or Mattins, Evensong, Administration of the Sacraments, or other open Prayers, than is mentioned and set forth in the said Book,[ open Prayer in and throughout this Act, is meant that Prayer which is for others to come unto or hear, either in Common Churches, or Private Chapels, or Oratories, zommonly called the Service of the Church) or shall preach, gation, or depraving of the said Book, declare or speak any thing in the deroor any thing therein contained, or of any part thereof, and shall be thereof lawfully
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